Hieronymus Ahrens

Hieronymus Ahrens is a freelance photographer in Berlin. His field of work is portrait, documentary and fashion photography. In 2017 he graduated at “Ostkreuzschule für Fotografie”, Berlin. In 2012 he received a Magister (M.A.) degree in Slavistics (Russian Literature) and History of Eastern Europe at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.

Ritvars

City for the Blind

On the outskirts of the Latvian capital, Riga, an urban community is existing,
which I call the „City for the Blind". About two hundred blind people and people with visual impairments are living here. There is a rehabilitation center, a library for the blind, in which books in Braille are produced, a boarding school, a clubhouse and other facilities organzied to the needs of the residents.

The community in the estate provides a shelter for the blind, numerous help and activities, but the inhabitants seem isolated from the neighboring urban environment.

I felt a great deal of sensitivity and calmness around the blind people I met during the year and a half running project. The gentle radiance of these people impressed me as well as their optimism and courage, which they preserved in spite of tragic breaks in some of their biographies.

Viesturs, gardener

Aleksejs

Showdown game

Kostja

Viesturs at the club

Rehabilitation center

Braille library

Elena

Kaspars, sport trainer

Aljona, young mother

Irene

Dima

In the boarding school for blind and visually impaired children und youth

Therapeutic room in the boarding school for blind and visually impaired children und youth